“Not Being Sick Enough” - and the Misconceptions That Surround It

By Caroline Roberts, EDC Psychology Intern

There is absolutely no such thing as not being “sick enough” for eating disorder treatment. All individuals struggling with their relationship to food and their body are deserving of treatment and support.  Also one individual may show signs and symptoms that are completely different from what another individual is experiencing, and that’s okay. There are multiple factors that can affect how someone personally experiences an eating disorder, including body type, age, gender, race/ethnicities, and socioeconomic status. With so many confounding variables that surround an eating disorder, no two experiences should be compared. 

With an eating disorder, it is commonly mistaken that an individual has to show certain kinds of physical symptoms to be considered “sick,” however an eating disorder is a mental illness. Symptoms can occur in the form of unhealthy thoughts and fears correlated to eating. Therefore, it’s important to remember that there are many symptoms you may be experiencing that aren’t revealed in the physical form! 

Additionally, eating disorder recovery isn’t linear. There are going to be good days and bad days. These good and bad days look different for everyone. It’s important to note that just because you have a good day does NOT mean that you are not struggling or deserving of treatment and support. The good days should be acknowledged and celebrated, but with the notion that you still can be “sick enough” to have additional support throughout your nonlinear eating disorder recovery journey. 

Many eating disorders go undetected because of these comparisons and misconceptions. If you find yourself experiencing restrictive, obsessive, and negative thoughts toward food, weight, and/or exercise then you may want to consider seeking support! 

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The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com